Cry
by Licking Pennies
Summary: A story that came to me from my personal experiences. This has happened to quite a few people. Cope with me, this is my first Avatar fic. I think i've done rather well. A deaf brother, and a mute brother meet The Avatar and begin traveling with his crew.
1. Some Things You Should Know First

Some things you should know first...

(Oh yea, I don't own The Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Long ago, just a bit after the last Avatar passed on, there were two Waterbenders that shifted peoples gazes of all Waterbenders... Yes, Waterbenders have been known as healers and defensive benders, but these two took Waterbending in a slightly different direction... They totally mastered the art of Waterbending after about fifteen years, which if I went into detail, would be nothing but long, grueling, dangerous, and deathly training almost twenty four hours a day, each and every day. In addition to being as skilled of Waterbenders as they were, they decided that the style was purely too much defense to make a difference when you got higher up in the ranks and all. So, though they didn't, (and couldn't) exactly learn the other bending arts, they still learned martial arts that could (If you most likely tried hard enough) could be candidates to the other bending elements. They got Earthbenders to come in, which astounded the Waterbenders, as they watched the two train their styles with and against each other.

These type of things included:

Rock Crushing (The event of an Earthbender bringing up earth and trying to expand it as hard as they can, whilst another individual is trying to crush it. Quite dangerous.)

Stream Making, followed by ground coverage (Earthbenders hurl boulders, while the other individual spins the same way as the oncoming boulder, and tries to disintegrate the boulder with as powerful of a jet stream of water as they can, shooting it along the ground, making water flow, then the ground around will be turning into mud, and the individual must overcome the earth and utilize the water to move the dirt over the trenches. Whew...)

Rock Smashing (Big, almost fist-like gushes of water are fired at rocks to break 'em)

Rock Slicing (Though the premise is similar to Rock Smashing, this was a great deal harder than that could ever be. Form a super-quick blade of water to slice through rock.)

(I'll end the list here... it goes on and on.)

Yes, they did many exercises like this all day, and all night, and that kept the friends together, closer than brothers, and strengthened many lives along the way. Among already knowing Tai Chi, they learned (and popularized with non-bending warriors) the styles of Pancratium, Buddhist Palm, and Muay Thai. They could actually manipulate water a little differently using certain moves at the end of the flowing cycle of water to make it's impact like iron. Pretty much soft stream turns to crashing waterfall. These two Waterbenders split up to prove that their bending could become just as great as any. They never forgot that peace is king for a Waterbender, but how can I say this... they kinda took on an Airbender personality. Anyway, eventually, once the word of how awesome Waterbenders could be spread, they confronted the fire nation, who had taken over not too long ago from the completion of their training. They both headed forward against them, shoulder to shoulder, taking down military personnel like they were scraps of paper. They both got to Fire Lord Ozai. There, they both died.

They did not die in vain. They were remembered by many, of different nations, as friends. All nations 'cept most of the fire nation, that is. Anyway, people now gave water a bit more credit since then... but it wore off after a while. Thus...

Later, about 80-some years ahead, two children were born. Three years apart. One is ten and the other is thirteen. Very weird things happened to them, and they also found writings from the two legends of the Waterbenders. So train they did, day and night. Now, here's where I tell you something interesting. Let us start with the younger one... this is the first thing. He was born mute, due to a training accident from his brother. His brother has told him that ever since he was able to comprehend words, but when he kept telling him, he only felt worse because he could never know what his brother would sound like... He is exceedingly intelligent though, far beyond his years. He knows exactly what he wants, he knows things others never would, he knows how you feel... he just can't tell you, for only speech could accommodate what he would have to say...

His name was Irkalla.

His brother on the other hand, was fine, all up 'til he turned eight, ha ha! Trained and trained, trained with his brother, day in and day out... super-determined this one was, and he wasn't a dummy in his efforts either. He was imbued with the same mission as the two before them. To make a name for Waterbenders, and seeing as his brother was always with him in whatever he did, that became his goal too. Now, what happened was a shame. Now, Irkalla went home every night, but his brother, Mizou, slept outside next to the stream, against the wind in various positions almost every night. Eventually the wind and water going in his ears steadily made him go deaf. Yea. He still clings on to the memory of the sounds he already knew, and made, not ever forgetting them, or how to make them. After a while once they came of age, they decided to go and find the Avatar and do great works with him. Now, let's get this party started.


	2. Cry: Introduction Time

Now. I do not own The Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is my first Avatar fic, but it feels real good to me. Well, in short, here we go. Oh yea... one more thing...

- is writing. VERY IMPORTANT.

Cry: Introduction time.

-Ok, what do we got?- was etched on a slab of stone that a feminine-looking shoulder-length haired blonde boy held up with one hand. You could tell it was quite heavy, though he didn't show that at all in his expression. He wore robes of white, which was quite odd. Still, he wrote very important things he wished to say on them.

"Well, so far, we know that he's bald, has tattoos on the back of his hands, and on his forehead. Also, he flies on a giant flying bison. He's an Airbender, too. That's what we've got. Let's head to the next town..." that came from a boy with long straggly black hair that went over his face quite a bit... He wasn't as feminine.

-Yea... i'm lost. And we got no food, 'cause i got kinda hungry a few miles back.- yes, the stone regenerates, and can be etched into again. A great gift of a friend of his fathers'.

"...WHAT?" then he slapped open the many metal pouches he had on his worn-cloth vest, and trails of water began shooting off everywhere, as he started hurling them...

-Brother, stop!- he tackled him, which shot one directly above them...

Just then, they got very still as they were both on the ground... they looked up into the sky and saw something huge doubling back, as water droplets dripped on their faces... it landed right in front of them. It was... THE FLYING BISON!

"AHHHHH!" Mizou jumped up against a tree... then got pelted with water from the huge flying creature as it shook itself off as it's riders jumped down.

- brother... I think that's the Avatar and crew.- Irkalla pointed at them, and then looked back at his brother...

The Avatar himself was the first to say anything...

"Excuse me, was that you who shot Appa?" The boy spoke to them...

Now, even though Mizou is deaf, don't mean he can't read lips. Actually, his sight is quite amazing now. Anyway, he understood what this boy asked, and peeled himself off the tree to answer him like a man, stumbling forward a bit, but straighting up once he got directly upon him.

"Yes, sorry, I let my temper go. You are the Avatar? Nice to meet you, my name is Mizou, and my brother is Irkalla." he pointed back to his curious looking blonde brother.

"Why doesn't he speak for himself? I think i've heard enough of you." That was from a girl draped in green, with eyes that did not see, leaning on Appa, for various reasons.

Of course, since Mizou didn't see her, he didn't know she spoke. Yes, he was also oblivious to the rock that was whizzing towards the side of his head. It smacked into him, and he yelled out, not knowing just how loud he was, not being able to hear and all...

"YAAAAHHH! OWWWW!" that got him to turn her way, definitely.

Yea, he started to stomp over to her, too, and that let her feel him coming, and she could size him up and everything, for... a BIG rock in the nose! Hah! Funny enough, Irkalla's stone had a smiley face on it, now. Mizou stumbled back, lightly, though. It was harder to 'see' him now. He jumped up on Appa's back, and he collected all the moisture he could and...

"Hey... where did he go?" SPLASH!

Yup, Mizou just released all the water he could gather from quite a distance around, and splashed it on top of the girl in green. He stuck out his tongue, and sat down on Appa, now. In turn, Appa shook, and he fell off him of, and shoulder first into the ground.

Another girl, older, wiser, and certainly nicer stepped forward now, and helped him up, as Irkalla decided to step forward with everyone else...

"You ok, Mizou, was it?" she gave the sightless girl one of those 'That whole situation was wrong' looks, since she couldn't see it, and didn't wanna say something to get arguing, herself...

-Mizou, maybe you should try and be friendly... you didn't even give the Avatar a chance to say his name!- Irkalla was right you know... as you will find out that he usually is.

"Introduction time, 'eh? I'M Sokka." A quite loud, straight forward boy came forth, and it was apparent even though he was the oldest he was not the wisest. Yes, he said this like he was the MOST IMPORTANT.

The Avatar said cheerfully, luckily when Mizou focused from Sokka back to him "Hi, my name is Aang. Nice to meet you, Mizou and Irkalla."

Another rock whizzed by Mizou's face, and he turned to see the sightless girl that the really nice girl went over to... OHHHH that blind girl...

"Did I get you? I could tell you were somewhere over there, since Aang was talkin' to ya. I'm Toph. This is Katara. You really don't pay much attention, do you?" Toph now leaned against Katara, to show who she was talking about.

Now that Mizou got the chance to read all their names, he knew them now. He bowed to Aang, seeing as you all know who he is and whatnot... Aang really didn't like that much, though, to tell the truth...

Mizou then sat down to say something... "Well, there's a reason for my not hearing you. In truth, I can't hear any of you. I'm deaf. My brother is mute. That's why he has the talking stone... that don't exactly talk."

Irkalla held up the stone, to them all -It's true. Can't speak.-

Toph started laughing, as she then said through the laughter "So... I could... peg your brother all day as long as I keep moving and stay out of sight, Irkalla? Someone read that off to me, please..."

-Why yes. You could- Truthful little ten year old, even though she couldn't see that. So Sokka was the one to read it off.

"Awww, shut up! At least I can get up in the morning and fix up my appearance with out assistance!" Mizou stuck his tongue out again,

"Ohhhhhh! Burn!" said an instigating Sokka.

"Shut up, Sokka. How do you know i'm blind?" Toph actually went up to him, to ask him this.

"Well, earlier, you didn't see me jump up onto the huge bison, did you?" Mizou grinned in her face, 'cause she couldn't see it.

Yea, Appa just looked at him, and went back to grazing on this absolutely wonderful patch of grass...

Yea, well, Mizou thought she was regular blind. As we all know, vibrations in the ground allow her to see, even if only slightly. Yea, he shifted, and she slightly saw him grinning. After that he stopped grinning, 'cause she kneed him in the nuts, and walked back over to Katara.

"What a jerk..." Toph blew out, as she took a seat on the ground.

"OWWWW! Why am I always getting hurt?" Mizou yelled that out quite loud, too.

Aang tapped him on the shoulder and pointed over at Toph, so he could pay attention and see what she was saying...

"Well, maybe because you're a jerk that thinks he cooler than me, just 'cause he can see!" She huffed up after that little tidbit.

"WHAT? No, no! I don't think i'm cooler. I just think you should stop throwing things at me. I hate that." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his wide-legged camo pants. They were almost like hakama pants.

"Hmph." from Toph

"Hmph." from Mizou

-Brother... anyway, can we travel with you and your friends, Aang?- Irkalla would've sighed seriously, but, you know...

"Sure!" Aang merrily commented.

"NOOOO!" Toph yelled out, tackling Aang to the ground. Wow, her hearing is pretty nice, she actually found him by voice to tackle him.

Aang wriggled out from under her, as he asked in an off-tone "What's the matter?"

"Don't let that Mizou brat come! Irkalla can, but not him!" She threw him a look a disgust...

-Miss Toph, i'm sorry for my brothers' awful behavior... please accept my apology...- Irkalla felt bad for the way Mizou was acting, really... yea, i'm guessing that Sokka will be caption reader, for he read that off to Toph, too. In a funny voice might I add.

"No need to call me miss... and anyway, I want an apology from that... THAT... HMPH!" She 'saw' that he turned around, talking with Sokka, which is kinda like picking the most annoying thing over everything else...

"Why don't we all try to stop arguing and set up camp?" Katara to the rescue!

Aang was kinda shocked she snuck up on most of them... "Uhhh... yea!"

Begin on camp they did, as Toph just sat up against a tree, chillin' and what not. Irkalla was helping out, though he needed to be corrected quite a few times. About halfway through, Toph heard someone moving away from camp, and they broke into a light run. She started to follow the vibrations of the individuals' foot pounding, moving just as fast as them, but then she hid behind a tree when they stopped. She concluded it was Mizou while she was chasing him, but now he wasn't making any vibrations now, so she couldn't 'see' what he was doing. Until... she heard a huge crash, and 'saw' VERY clearly. What was that, you ask? Yea, he was training, using the flowing movements of Tai Chi to prepare an attack, then strike powerful as iron with Pancratium, once he moved around into the position. In turn, the water would swirl in the early part, then... BAM! Slam like iron into trees ahead of him, ripping into the trees, bark flying everywhere.

Toph was going to get his attention, as she started to earthbend the mud around the stream, and she got him in the back of the neck this time...

"Hey, what the..." he raised his hands, which brought water into the sky to splash down upon himself to clean himself up, then turned to see Toph.

"Listen, before you say anything, i'm not here to argue. What are you doing?" She sat against a tree, listening to his footsteps in the leaves as he came over.

"I'm training my combat and waterbending skills... did you follow me? How could you follow me without smacking into a tree?" This made him curious indeed...

She grumbled at him "I'm blind, not stupid. Fine, i'll tell you... i'm an earthbender AND i'm blind, so therefore I have this 'gift' that lets me 'see' through vibrations in the Earth and whatnot. You run like a galloping horse."

He sighed a little, as he was reading her lips, and he said "You have a very detailed and witty talking style, you know that? Anyway, what'd you think I was doing?"

Irkalla walked out from behind the tree Toph was sitting against, which scared her and Mizou, as Mizou read off the stone aloud -What's up? You two kissin' out here?-

Toph got up, and slapped Mizou, a bright red blush on her face "How could your brother say that?"

Mizou yelled out "I didn't say it, so why'd you smack me?"

"You deserve it." She crossed her arms, as Mizou stared at her with much anger...

Yea, but Sokka and Katara ran up, waving their arms so they could get Mizou's attention...

"Quick we need you all back at camp! Let's go!" Katara yelled out in urgency...

End

For the first chapter, i'd say that was very nice and a great introduction of the brothers. The action starts next chapter, but this fic really ain't 'bout that, y'know? Don't worry, I think it'll be totally awesome, even if nobody else thinks so. Anyway, peace, 'til then!


End file.
